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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

What do you do to get ready?

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Old 07-11-18, 06:06 AM
  #1  
Ray9
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What do you do to get ready?

Serious cycling requires preparation. I must stress that my stomach is full of food. Before I leave on my daily 51 mile ride there are things I do to get ready. Here they are: 1) Charge the computer and put it on bike 2) Get the bike and stand it up 3) Get the hand pump 4) Top off the tire pressure to 115 psi 5) Wash and clean the mirror and computer face 6) Fill 3 insulated water bottles with ice cubes and bottled water (never use tap water) 7) Put two bottles on bike 8) Check quick releases and chain 9) Clean eye glasses and overfitting sunglasses with mild soap and water (bike done) 10) Get bib shorts and cycling jersey (Lay out on coffee table) 11) Get socks and sweat band (lay out on coffee table) 12) Get helmet, gloves, shoes and portable hand pump (lay out on coffee table)13) Get tube of triple antibiotic ,cortisone and jar of Vaseline (lay out on coffee table) 14) Get two tablets of Pepcid to prevent reflux (lay out on coffee table) 15) To help prevent fire-foot swamp thin layer of Vaseline on bottom of feet. 16) Put on socks 17) Apply triple antibiotic mixed with cortisone cream on saddle sores covered with thin layer of Vaseline 18) Wipe hands with paper towel 19) Put on bib shorts 20) Put on Jersey 21) Go outside and apply spray sunscreen to arms, legs and back of neck 22) Come back inside and apply cream sunscreen to face and cover nose completely 23) Wipe hands 24) Get single strip of paper towel and fold it to fit under sweat band 25) Put on sweat band 26) Put on cycling shoes 27) Put cell phone, third water bottle, Pepcid, mini pump and extra glass wipes in back of shirt 28) Put on glasses and overfitting sunglasses 29) Put on gloves 30) Start computer and ride31) Note: in cold weather there is more to do.

Last edited by Ray9; 07-11-18 at 06:11 AM.
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Old 07-11-18, 06:53 AM
  #2  
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This is what I do for a long weekend ride
Eat breakfast w/3 cups coffee
Bathroom
Go to laundry room and put on shorts & jersey
Apply sunscreen to face & arms
Fill 2 bottles with tap water
Put 4-5 dates in a baggie
Cellphone, dates and credit cards in 3 pockets
Go to boiler room in garage and put on shoes, gloves & helmet
Go back inside to grab computer and sunglasses I forgot
Squeeze tires and pump if needed. Bikes are against the wall in garage.
Ride

During the week I have a 1hr ride to work and skip the food, water, sunscreen

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Old 07-11-18, 06:59 AM
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Your helmet is still on the coffee table.
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Old 07-11-18, 07:02 AM
  #4  
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32) Send text to riding buddies "Gonna be late again."
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Old 07-11-18, 07:08 AM
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I can only assume that there's something funny hidden in that wall of text that the OP (rightly) assumes that we won't see because tl;dr.
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Old 07-11-18, 07:12 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
I can only assume that there's something funny hidden in that wall of text that the OP (rightly) assumes that we won't see because tl;dr.
This.
Obsessing over detail is cool and all but why the need to brag about it?
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Old 07-11-18, 07:19 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Zaskar
32) Send text to riding buddies "Gonna be late again."
LOL well played!
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Old 07-11-18, 07:21 AM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by Ray9
6) Fill 3 insulated water bottles with ice cubes and bottled water (never use tap water)
Seriously? In most places, tap water is as good or better than bottled water as it has far more strict regulations. If you really don't want tap water, get a filter. Much cheaper in the long run and better for the environment.
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Old 07-11-18, 07:23 AM
  #9  
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115 psi? Is it 1985 where you live?

Id probably take up basket weaving if I had to do all that.

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Old 07-11-18, 07:37 AM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by gregf83
This is what I do for a long weekend ride
Eat breakfast w/3 cups coffee
Bathroom

Go back inside to grab computer and sunglasses I forgot




Every time. And god forbid I carry my Road ID inside or the hat that's in current rotation. Turns into multiple trips.

For my weekend rides, Wake up, eat, fart around on the computer and have a couple of cups of coffee, bathroom, change into riding clothes, put whatever the days foods are in the right and left pockets, cell phone in the center. Go out to the garage, turn on the Garmin that's supposed to be in the up front mount, put on the Road ID that should be hanging on the handlebars, sunglasses, cap, helmet, load up 2 water bottles, put on the shoes and go ride. Oh, and last thing on the list is to turn on the Road ID app just before riding off.

Weekdays I just change and go ride.
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Old 07-11-18, 07:43 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
I can only assume that there's something funny hidden in that wall of text that the OP (rightly) assumes that we won't see because tl;dr.
He couldn't even manage to incorporate something funny.
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Old 07-11-18, 08:00 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
He couldn't even manage to incorporate something funny.
Sad. I'm extra glad that I didn't read it, then.
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Old 07-11-18, 08:07 AM
  #13  
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Old 07-11-18, 08:10 AM
  #14  
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What's this thread about?
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Old 07-11-18, 09:14 AM
  #15  
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For longer weekend rides, it's a lengthy process to get prepared and I don't have the will or motivation to go into detail. Riding prep during the week before work is minimal... most things are ready to go the night before.
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Old 07-11-18, 09:34 AM
  #16  
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Is this a commute?

If yes, then why all that to ride 25 miles to the office?

If no, then why do the same ride every day?


Taking a dump is key on my preparation list.
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Old 07-11-18, 09:52 AM
  #17  
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"Wash hands" woulda been nice after the saddle sores bit.
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Old 07-11-18, 10:08 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by Ray9
Serious cycling requires preparation. I must stress that my stomach is full of food. Before I leave on my daily 51 mile ride there are things I do to get ready. Here they are: 1) Charge the computer and put it on bike 2) Get the bike and stand it up 3) Get the hand pump 4) Top off the tire pressure to 115 psi 5) Wash and clean the mirror and computer face 6) Fill 3 insulated water bottles with ice cubes and bottled water (never use tap water) 7) Put two bottles on bike 8) Check quick releases and chain 9) Clean eye glasses and overfitting sunglasses with mild soap and water (bike done) 10) Get bib shorts and cycling jersey (Lay out on coffee table) 11) Get socks and sweat band (lay out on coffee table) 12) Get helmet, gloves, shoes and portable hand pump (lay out on coffee table)13) Get tube of triple antibiotic ,cortisone and jar of Vaseline (lay out on coffee table) 14) Get two tablets of Pepcid to prevent reflux (lay out on coffee table) 15) To help prevent fire-foot swamp thin layer of Vaseline on bottom of feet. 16) Put on socks 17) Apply triple antibiotic mixed with cortisone cream on saddle sores covered with thin layer of Vaseline 18) Wipe hands with paper towel 19) Put on bib shorts 20) Put on Jersey 21) Go outside and apply spray sunscreen to arms, legs and back of neck 22) Come back inside and apply cream sunscreen to face and cover nose completely 23) Wipe hands 24) Get single strip of paper towel and fold it to fit under sweat band 25) Put on sweat band 26) Put on cycling shoes 27) Put cell phone, third water bottle, Pepcid, mini pump and extra glass wipes in back of shirt 28) Put on glasses and overfitting sunglasses 29) Put on gloves 30) Start computer and ride31) Note: in cold weather there is more to do.
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I won't touch bottled water, for health reasons.
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Old 07-11-18, 10:19 AM
  #19  
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I must not be a serious cyclist. Most of my regular ride days start at 6am and are only about 30 miles. Most of the time I lie in bed, hang with the wife until 5:35, hit the john, grab my bottles from the fridge (fridge water through whatever filter it uses), get dressed, grab keys to the gate and garage door opener and leave by 5:50.
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Old 07-11-18, 10:25 AM
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I was just remembering how it used to be when I was younger, I just decided to go and I hopped on the bike and went. Now I have a rigamarole routine too, no quite as bad as the OPs bit bad e enough.

I have to get drugged up before launch, no, not what you think. A quick bite to eat and then a couple of ibuprofen prophilacticy. Then a Allavert so the pollen doesn't crust up my eyes . The water bottles, the snacks and all the equipment, sunscreen and bug spray don my helmet and I'm off. And more than once make a U turn to come back for something i forgot.
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Old 07-11-18, 12:11 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by f4rrest
"Wash hands" woulda been nice after the saddle sores bit.
And after engaging in any excretory activities.
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Old 07-11-18, 12:26 PM
  #22  
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1. Groggily wake up and stumble to shower.
2. After shower, stumble back to my bedroom and look for the pile of lycra put out the night before. Apply chamois cream and get dressed
3. Stumble to kitchen to make coffee.
4. Drink coffee. I might be able to stop stumbling now
5. Grab bike off the wall, fill water bottles with drink of the day, attach computer.
6. Pack pockets with food/gels put on table night before.
7. Grab helmet, shoes, and gloves from cycling cubby hole next to the door and put them on.
8. Grab sunnies and bike, go for a ride.
9. Finally finish waking up about 10 miles in
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Old 07-11-18, 12:35 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
He couldn't even manage to incorporate something funny.
Originally Posted by WhyFi
Sad. I'm extra glad that I didn't read it, then.
The "air tires to 115 psi" bit was kind of funny. Not funny ha ha. Funny sad.
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Old 07-11-18, 12:49 PM
  #24  
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Wake up at 0400
sit and drink coffee from 0410 to 0420
visit the necessary room from 0420 to 0440
put my roadie uniform on
go to garage, turn on Garmin, put on helmet, gloves, glasses, socks and shoes
start spinning my wheels at 0450

this is my routine 3-4 days a week
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Old 07-11-18, 01:07 PM
  #25  
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Assuming serious, with all this, no spinning wheels to ensure not rubbing on rim or disc brake?
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